Vehicle seat belt shoulder harness elevation device

Abstract

An apparatus for biasing a portion of a seat belt shoulder harness away from a portion of a human chest. The apparatus comprises a body portion including a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate portion. The body portion is deformable between a first and a second position. In the first position the intermediate portion is substantially non-coplanar with the first and second end portions, and in the second position, the intermediate portion is substantially coplanar with the end portions. The body portion is biased in the first position and is secured to the seat belt shoulder harness.

I claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for biasing a portion of a seat belt shoulder harness away from a portion of a human chest; said apparatus comprising: (a) a body portion including a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate portion; each one of said first end portion, said second end portion, and said intermediate portion having a topside and an underside: said body portion being deformable between: i. a first position in which said topside and said underside of said intermediate portion are substantially non-coplanar with said topside and said underside of said first and second end portions, and   ii. a second position in which said topside and said underside of said intermediate portion are substantially coplanar with said topside and said underside of said end portions; said body portion further including biasing means for biasing said body portion in said first position; and     (b) securing means for securing said body portion to the seat belt shoulder harness.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said biasing means comprises a deformable, shape-restoring material. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said body portion further includes at least one side portion and in which said securing means includes at least one finger portion extending inwardly from said side portion and adapted to entrap the seat belt shoulder harness. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said body portion further includes a first and a second side portion and in which said securing means includes a first shoulder portion extending inwardly from said first side portion and a second shoulder portion extending inwardly from said second side portion and adapted to entrap the seat belt shoulder harness. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said body portion further includes a first and a second side portion and in which said securing means includes at least one rib portion extending from said first side portion to said second side portion and adapted to entrap the seat belt shoulder harness. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said securing means circumferentially surrounds the seat belt shoulder harness so as to entrap the seat belt shoulder harness and secure said body portion to the seat belt shoulder harness. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said securing means comprises a belt layer adapted to be secured to the seat belt shoulder harness and in which said body portion is sandwiched between said belt layer and the seat belt shoulder harness. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said biasing means comprises a deformable shape-retaining material, and in which said biasing means can be deformably restored so as to bias said body portion into said first position after being deformed into said second position. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which said biasing means is selectively deformably adjustable so as to permit a varying amount of non-coplanarity of said intermediate portion with respect to said first end portion and said second end portion. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 8 in which said body portion further includes at least one side portion and in which said securing means includes at least one finger portion extending inwardly from said side portion and adapted to entrap the seat belt shoulder harness. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 8 in which said body portion further includes a first and a second side portion and in which said securing means includes a first shoulder portion extending inwardly from said first side portion and a second shoulder portion extending inwardly from said second side portion and adapted to entrap the seat belt shoulder harness. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 8 in which said body portion further includes a first and a second side portion and in which said securing means includes at least one rib portion extending from said first side portion to said second side portion and adapted to entrap the seat belt shoulder harness. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 8 in which said securing means circumferentially surrounds the seat belt shoulder harness so as to entrap the seat belt shoulder harness and secure said body portion to the seat belt shoulder harness. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said biasing means comprises a frangible material having a certain predetermined stress threshold, and in which said frangible material will fracture so as to deform said body portion into said second position when subjected to a stress which is above said certain predetermined stress threshold.